Jaymann's Blog – September 2011 Archive (16)

The beaches had a look and feel of summer. The touristy crowds were packed in at many prime zones. This was partially due to Rosh Hashana (Jewish new year – no school fro kids) and a gorgeous day. It made it a super tough drive for buggyists trying to navigate around humanity. There was some attitude on display among fair-weather beachgoers, as I drove very carefully along. However, I met some real nice folks, checking out my cast netting activity.…

Thursday, September 29, 2011: Warning to boaters, Buggyists and surf anglers: We’re going through some wild tides – known as “king tides."

Yesterday was a sample of the insane tide swings. The high bayside water was covering many Boulevard right lane zones from Ship Bottom to Beach Haven. It was the look of, say, a moderate nor-easter – though it was generally a gorgeous day, light east winds.

A serious tidal “swing” set in when the stacked bayside high tide water began to…

Sunday, September 25, 2011: The weather pulled a fast one – in the best of ways. As I had forecasted, the system that was supposed to soak us all weekend rained itself out on Friday – dousing some Ocean County areas two to three inches of rain in nothing flat. By Saturday a.m., it was a perfect autumn day, with darkish clouds but no rain and perfect conditions for the Decoy Show in Tuckerton.

Fishing has not kept up with the initial push (of bass) last week. There…

Wasn’t the nicest of days. I was going to go beachward very early but stepped outside and was slapped in the face by fog and rain. I just didn’t have the gumption to throw castnet in the low-visibility (water-wise) conditions. And it’s not going to be overly great out there any time soon. However, it’s very nice conditions for fall surf fishing, ncluding tomorrow’s World Series of Surf Fishing. (Can someone from the LBI Fishing Club please get me…

The bass are back -- at least some of them. Decent fish are being caught on plugs from various LBI beaches. A couple are in the 25-pound range, though most are just-keeper sized. Poppers, swimming plugs and eels are interesting the arriving stripers. This is not a full-bore bass attack but bodes well for the near future. …

Sunday, September 18, 2011: looks like the weather won over the weekend. There had been a bit of a tug-a-war between a couple systems, good and bad, and the nasty offshore stuff inched out the niceness. In its wake we have a week of utter iffyness in the sly world. The good side is we shouldn’t get blown out by winds, just a daily chance of boomers amid more moist air.

That said, there are some bass showing along the frontbeach. Poppers are the trick if you’re into…

The surf remains royally roiled despite no specific swell- generation points. This would usually make for some fine surf fishing. The problem is we’re lacking one small element: fish. Short of the ongoing glut of tiny snappers, along with a fairly decent showing of undersized fluke, I’ve been among the many throwing plugs left and right to get a bass or larger blue. I had one take that took a bit of line before going its unlanded way.…

We have to talk a bit weatherly this issue. Unlike most people, I not only talk about the weather but I also do something about, mainly bitch and moan.

It sure seems that Irene ushered in a sultry bubble of purely tropical air. It has hung over us for days on end. On occasion, the air has been so thick and damp you could fillet it and call it sashimi. (Huh?)

Sunday Sept. 11, 2011: The big ground swells have slacked off but there is now a chopped up short-period wind swell that makes ocean and inlet fishing a tad iffy. Inside the bay was more doable but not a huge number of anglers trying.

If it seemed the winds were testing every compass point throughout the day that's because they were. I recorded winds from the NE, N, E, ESE, SE, and SW at different points throughout the day. That was due in large part to late-day…

I lost a long blog I had written. Very aggravating. Sufficed to say, for now, that the big news for me is the reopening of Holgate this a.m. However, the tides are wrong for the rest of today so tomorrow (early a.m.) will be the earliest oppurtunity to buggy to the end. And there is apparently no getting down except at low tide. Make a note of that. Also, make sure you know your 4WD advanced basics before going on the ebach at Holgate. It's best to wait until the… Continue

Please check this week’s Sandpaper’s “SandBox” section for many comments on 9-11.

I bring that black anniversary into this column primarily to note that there is a huge number of anglers and/or regular readers who were first responders, direct victims of 9-11 or were indirectly devastated by the cowardly attack.

The ocean remains testy and fairly dirty, mainly stirred up, not necessarily loaded with bad stuff. The bay, on the other hand, is likely reaching the height of the revolting runoff that was washed off the roadways and yards last weekend. Yes, it takes that long for the runoff to permeate the entire bay, before getting essentially diluted -- or, in a worse case scenario, settles onto the…

Friday, September 02, 2011: One of the year’s bigger angling weekend is going to be a tad iffy for surfcasters and folks navigating the inlets. We’re still holding onto a ton of swell action – 3 to 5 feet, medium-period out of the east and north. What’s more, we’ll be seeing a serious-ass long-period groundswell by as early as late Sunday. Those Hurricane Katia waves will be very powerful, way more than the Irene swells. The reason is simple wave hydrodynamics. Distance is one of the most…

Well, I’m already limbering up for the fall. Yes, it’s way early but there are some early issues that make this fall a little more, let’s say, pressing. Holgate comes to mind. I am absolutely letdown and then some over the hurricane-ravaged entrance at the parking lot’s overlook area. It now seems it’ll take a solid week-plus before trucked in sand is available to make the entrance even remotely passable. Actually, it might take that…